


A Promise

by ShyVioletCat



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: I cried writing this, lots of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22310887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyVioletCat/pseuds/ShyVioletCat
Summary: Aedion Brings his son to meet the new heir of Terrasen and reflects on a promise he made many, many years ago.
Relationships: Aedion Ashryver/Lysandra, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	A Promise

Aedion walked hand in hand with his son. At three years old Rueben was younger than Aedion had been when Rhoe had walked this same path with him to the private rooms that belonged to the royal family. When Aedion had visited all those years ago it had been King Orlon who resided there, and Rhoe as the heir had also resided there with his young family. It was one of Aedion’s first memories he had of being in Orynth. He could still recall it now, so clearly.

_He had only been in Orynth little more than a week when Rhoe had collected him from his room and brought him to his and Evalin’s private chambers. Evalin was seated on a couch Aelin, only an infant, asleep in her arms. Evalin had smiled at him and patted the couch beside her. An invitation for Aedion to sit beside her._

_Aedion sat down, still unsure and nervous in his new surroundings, but Evalin gave him a warm smile reassuring him enough that he smiled back._

_“Would you like to hold her?” Evalin asked softly._

_Aedion squirmed. “I don’t know how. I don’t want to break her.”_

_Rhoe chuckled softly from where he stood and Aedion’s cheeks heated. But then Rhoe had come and knelt in front of him. “I’ll help you.”_

_Still embarrassed Aedion readied himself and Evalin passed Aelin to him, wrapped in a soft green blanket. Rhoe’s hands were there, steadying his small arms as he took the full weight of his tiny cousin. When he had a firm grip Rhoe’s hands fell away. Aedion panicked for a moment but then Aelin let out a heavy contented smile in her sleep, which calmed Aedion. He grinned at both Evalin and Rhoe, who were smiling at him._

_“Aedion,” Evalin said, her voice taking on a tone he hadn’t heard before. Not harsh, not commanding, but it held the dignity of a future queen. “I have something to ask of you. Aelin will be Queen one day. She will need those around her to be strong and loyal, and will stand by her through every trial no matter how hard, no matter frightening. Your mother and I were once this to each other.” Evalin’s voice broke then, overcome with emotion. Aedion felt tears burning in his own eyes. “We would have done anything for each other. Aedion, do you think you could do that? For Aelin?”_

_Aedion looked down at baby Aelin. She was so tiny and perfect, and even though Aedion had only known her for a very short amount of time he loved her. He nodded._

_“Will you be her guardian, protecter, but most importantly will you be her friend?” Evalin asked, tears glistening in her eyes._

_“I will. I can do that for Aelin.”_

~~~~~

“Papa?” Rueben’s voice brought Aedion back to the present.

“Yes son?” Aedion said as he looked down at the boy.

“When I meet the princess will I have to hold her?” Rueben asked.

“Do you want to?” Aedion asked back.

Rueben shrugged. “I think so. But I don’t know how.”

“Would you like me to help you? If you decide that you want to?” Aedion couldn’t help the smile that touched his lips. His son was so similar.

Rueben brought his wrist to his lips and started to chew on his sleeve there as he nodded.

They had come to the Queen’s private rooms and Aedion knocked softly. In a few moments Rowan opened the door, looking thoroughly exhausted but alight with happiness.

“Come in. Quietly though, she’s sleeping,” Rowan said softly.

Rueben held a finger to his lips, indicating he’d understood, then he ran to where his mother sat on a couch, sipping from a tea cup. Aelin sat opposite Lysandra with the new princess, only a few days old, asleep in her arms. The sight of Aelin sitting there, looking so much like her mother, halted Aedion where he stood. He was transported to another time, to a time that felt so long ago.

Aelin smiled at him, Aedion smiled back as he came forward and stopped a few feet away from where she sat.

“Can he?” Aedion asked.

“Of course,” Aelin beamed. “Rueben, would you like to meet Elspeth?”

Rueben eyes darted from Aelin, to his mother and lastly to Aedion. His eyes held the questions from earlier Aedion nodded, reminding his son of his promise. Rueben scrambled off the couch and went to the other. He was standing up, looking over Aelin’s shoulder at the baby. He had a broad smile on his little face.

“Would you like to hold her?” Aelin asked.

Aedion saw the hesitancy on Rueben’s face and came to kneel in front of the couch.

“Do you want to, son?” Aedion asked. Rueben nodded. “You need to sit down then.”

Rueben sat down as he was told and then Aedion reached out for his hands, pulling his arms into the right position. Aelin put Elspeth into Rueben’s arms with Aedion’s hands taking most of the weight. Aedion pulled over a pillow to help prop up Rueben’s elbow.

“Do you have her?” Aedion asked. Again Rueben nodded, and Aedion let go but didn’t move away. “If you need help, you tell me straight away.”

Rueben was smiling so wide Aedion was sure he could see every one of his teeth.

“I think I love her already,” Rueben said proudly.

Every adult in the room let out soft laughter, Aedion saw Aelin wipe a tear away.

“That’s good, Rue. She will need people to love her. You will need to be strong and loyal, and stand by her no matter what,” Aedion said.

Then he looked to Aelin. There were tears shining in her eyes. Aedion remembered the promise he’d made to Evalin and Rhoe. He hadn’t kept it, he’d broken that promise the night Aelin had gone missing, then all those years when he and the whole world had thought she was dead. He hadn’t protected her, Aelin had suffered, been broken and torn apart in more ways than one. Then there had been the war, when Maeve had taken her. The anger he felt… it had consumed him and he was ashamed of what he had done.

But Aelin had forgiven him. For all of it. She had reassured Aedion that he had been loyal and strong, and ultimately when it mattered he had stood by her.

All that truth was shining in Aelin’s eyes as she nodded.

“Rueben. Do you think you could love Elspeth always? Be loyal and strong, and stand by her no matter what?” Aedion asked.

“I can,” Rueben said simply.

“Will you be her guardian, protecter, but most importantly will you be her friend?” Aedion echoed the words Evalin had asked him all those years ago when she had no idea where life would lead them all.

Rueben looked up then. An understanding in his eyes that was well beyond his young age. But it was Aelin that he looked to when he answered.

“I will. I will forever and ever.”

Aelin let out a soft sob and kissed Rueben on the forehead.

Aedion would help his son, just as Rhoe and Evalin had helped him. Training him, teaching him, welcoming Aedion whole heartedly into their family. Aedion would do everything in his power to make sure his son would keep his promise to the Princess in the ways he hadn’t been able to himself. No matter what the future held.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah. I cried writing this. You’re welcome. I couldn’t get this idea out of my head so I wrote it down.


End file.
